Sydney Airport will hold an online auction to sell thousands of pieces of lost property next month, with the proceeds being donated to charity.
Up for grabs are cameras (digital and SLR models), smartphones, iPods and iPads, ebook readers, laptops, headphones, designer handbags, suitcases, toys, sporting equipment, clothing, alcohol, perfume, cosmetics and, well, pretty much anything else you can image – and a few things you'd probably never think of.
The lost property auction is an annual event for Sydney Airport, which last year raised more than $130,000, however this is the first time the auction will be held online.
The bounty will be spread across five auctions across a ten day period from November 4-14.
Auction 1 will gather together cameras, iPods, docks, gaming consoles, games and "various electricals". It starts 9am Tuesday 4 November and ends Monday 10 November 8.30pm.
Auction 2 sees mobile phones, tablets, laptops and "various technology" go under the hammer, from 9am Wednesday 5 November to8.30pm Tuesday 11 November.
Auction 3 is your chance to bid on jewellery, cosmetics, perfume, handbags and luggage; that starts 9am Thursday 6 November and finishes at 8.30pm on Wednesday 11 November.
Auction 4 is dedicated to alcohol and tobacco, from 9am Friday 7 November to 8.30pm Thursday 13 November.
Auction 5 is home to, well, everything that's left over – souvenirs, toys, sporting goods, clothing, paintings, artwork and homewares. Bids begin at 9am Saturday 8 November, with the final hammer falling at 8.30pm on Friday 14 November.
Bidding on each item will start at $1, with descriptions and photos to appear on the website of auction partner Pickles.
(Note that Pickles will charge a 16.5% 'processing fee' on top of the hammer price on all lots, while Sydney Airport will also pay Pickles another 16.5% from each lot sold to cover management of the auction.)
You can check out the goods in person on Wednesday 5 November at Pickles' warehouse in Milperra.
“While we make every effort to return the hundreds of lost items that are left at Sydney Airport each year, many items remain unclaimed,” said Sally Fielke, Sydney Airport's General Manager for Corporate Affairs.
“Close to 38 million passengers travelled through Sydney Airport last year from all over the world and the items left at the airport reflect this diversity.”
Unusual items in this year’s auction will include a surfboard, a microwave, a blender, musical instruments including ukuleles and violins, a bike and a scooter.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Apr 2013
Total posts 41
Haven't they heard of the KLM dogs?
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 352
A nice idea by Sydney Airport, but Pickles is taking a 33% slice of the action? So much for 'charity' on their behalf!
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
I reckon Sydney Airport should investigate appointing another auctioneer.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Sep 2014
Total posts 19
Isn't selling iPods, ipads and laptops a bad idea because a technological advanced person (hacker) could buy it and get all of your information (I'm not sure if that's true though)
09 Sep 2014
Total posts 54
No, because they just reset all of that kind of stuff back to factory mode, so that it is basically a new phone,ipad etc.
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
You would trust Sydney Airport and Pickles to wipe all hard drives and memory before they auction off the goods?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
I dunno, really. I'd much rather not lose the damn thing in the first place!
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